Ruminant dietary supplement compositions and methods of manufacturing and using the same

Abstract

This invention relates to dietary supplement compositions, foodstuffs (e.g., animal feed) comprising the same and methods of utilizing the same. In particular, the invention provides ruminant dietary supplement compositions (e.g., comprising a protein extract (e.g., a crude protein extract (e.g., a bacterial or yeast extract))) having a specific nitrogen and/or amino acid profile and a small particle size, methods of manufacturing the same, and compositions containing and methods of using the same (e.g., as a liquid or dry dietary supplement composition or as a component of a foodstuff (e.g., animal feed) to increase ruminant protein and amino acid absorption).

1 . A dietary supplement composition comprising about 5-10% nitrogen, about 30-60% crude protein, and about 0.5% to about 1.5% ammonia on a dry matter basis, and wherein said composition is made up of dried particles of 0.100-0.500 mm in size. 
     
     
         2 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 6.5-7.8% nitrogen and about 40-50% crude protein on a dry matter basis. 
     
     
         3 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 7% nitrogen and about 45% crude protein on a dry matter basis. 
     
     
         4 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises dried particles of 0.100-0.250 mm in size. 
     
     
         5 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crude protein comprises soluble and insoluble fractions. 
     
     
         6 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 5 , wherein said crude protein has about 40-45% soluble protein and about 55-60% insoluble protein. 
     
     
         7 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crude protein has an amino acid profile as shown in Table 1 or Table 2. 
     
     
         8 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crude protein is derived from whole yeast. 
     
     
         9 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crude protein is derived from yeast extract. 
     
     
         10 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crude protein is derived from  Saccharomyces.    
     
     
         11 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crude protein is derived from a source selected from the group consisting of algae and bacteria. 
     
     
         12 . The dietary supplement composition of  claim 1 , wherein the crude protein is dried and subsequently ground or sieved. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making the composition of  claim 1 , comprising drying said crude protein using an atomizer. 
     
     
         14 . A method of increasing intestinally absorbed protein in a ruminant comprising providing a ruminant with a dietary supplement composition comprising about 6.5-7.8% nitrogen, about 40-50% crude protein, and about 0.5% to about 1.5% ammonia on a dry matter basis, and wherein said composition is made up of dried particles of 0.100-0.500 mm in size, and administering the dietary supplement composition to the ruminant under conditions such that the components of the dietary supplement composition are intestinally available. 
     
     
         15 . A method of increasing milk production in a ruminant comprising providing a ruminant and a dietary supplement composition comprising about 6.5-7.8% nitrogen, about 40-50% crude protein, and about 0.5% to about 1.5% ammonia on a dry matter basis, and wherein said composition is made up of dried particles of 0.100-0.500 mm in size, and administering the dietary supplement composition to the ruminant under conditions such that milk production is increased. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein increasing milk production comprises the production of milk that contains increased milk fat content compared to milk produced from a ruminant not fed a dietary supplement composition of the invention. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein increasing milk production comprises the production of milk that contains increased protein secretion content compared to milk produced from a ruminant not fed a dietary supplement composition of the invention. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dietary supplement composition is administered to the ruminant to provide 1.5%-2.5% of the ruminant's total daily dry matter intake. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dietary supplement composition is added to a standard ruminant feed. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dietary supplement composition allows amino acids and/or proteins to escape ruminal fermentation in the rumen in a greater amount compared to the amount of amino acids and/or protein that escape ruminal fermentation in a rumen of a ruminant not fed the dietary supplement composition. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing a ruminant feed comprising combining a standard ruminant feed and a dietary supplement composition comprising 6.5-7.8% nitrogen, 40-50% crude protein, and about 0.5% to about 1.5% ammonia on a dry matter basis, and wherein said composition is made up of dried particles of 0.100-0.500 mm in size.